Nearly two years ago, One World Trade Center was officially dubbed America’s tallest building by the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, overtaking the Wills Tower. It’s no surprise that tallest buildings can be a contentious topic for major cities, but New York’s Freedom Tower could be overtaken by a structure in its own backyard. The Nordstrom Tower, currently under construction, may top the stunning skyline addition by just three feet. Will Nordstrom take the title of tallest building in America and the Western Hemisphere when construction is complete?
Resurrecting A City Vs. City Contention
Revised from its original plan of a 1,775-foot height, the Nordstrom Tower is now set to reach 1,795 feet. It will also be tallest residential tower in the world. As it continues to rise from the pavement at 217 W. 57th Street, the discussion of height technicality between the Wills Tower and One World Trade Center has also been resurrected.
Topping Pinnacles And Parapets
Needles, spires, beacons, pinnacles, and parapet heights all come into debate and have been a quarrelsome factor in the Wills Tower vs. Freedom Tower contention. In the case of the Nordstrom Tower however, both the 1530-foot parapet and the 1795-pinnacle will surpass One World Trade’s 1368-foot parapet and 1776-foot beacon.
Records Soon To Be Claimed?
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat hasn’t yet made the Nordstrom Tower’s America’s-tallest title official, stating that they’re waiting on official drawings that denote the 19-foot height increase. Once construction is complete however, the Nordstrom Tower may claim a few other records, including the highest price ever paid for a New York City penthouse.
The Nordstrom Tower is expected to be completed in 2018. By that time would it be all that surprising to see plans for a new record setting structure in the United States? In which city will it be located, what purposes will it serve, and just what titles will it aim to shatter, in addition to height? Tell us what you think in the comments.
Article Sources:
http://chicago.suntimes.com
http://www.citylab.com
http://archinect.com
http://nypost.com
